The present invention relates to inventory systems for libraries or cataloging operation and control. More specifically to an improved inventory method that uses image processing and inventory data and cataloging applications for new inventory control strategies for article placement and position. By more precisely knowing the current ordered location of the articles in inventory and the proper ordered location of the articles but not necessarily exact physical position sorting algorithms are used to minimize the number of articles to be moved to maintain article order.
It is known in the field of Library Circulation Control System U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,078 inventory operation and control to be provided with a means of inventory control by implementation of a barcode placed on the article usually on the front cover or other location but not usually on the spine. Libraries correlate the bar code to the call number and title of the book. This requires staff to maintain both the call number on the spine and the bar code on the cover. With an optical character recognition, OCR, means that reads the call number, the bar code requirement becomes redundant. An exception to the redundancy is the possibility that multiple copies may be on hand. An extension to the Classification System in use could easily accommodate multiple copies.
Within the current art of tracking and inventory control is the use of smart chips such as RFIDs, radio frequency identification device. The RFID would transmit its id when queried by a suitable device indicating its presence but not its order or position within a closely grouped collection such as described within U.S. Pat. No. 5,963,134 inventory with RFID and US Patent Application 0040111335 RFID space monitoring and asset inventory system. Redundancy is required to maintain the inventory label and the RFID tag. The library patron would not have the RFID reader in hand and continues to use the article label to rapidly locate the article.
Recently, patent application 080143584, Method and system for determining the distance between an RFID reader and an RFID tag using phase, and 080186174, Item level inventory with a radio frequency identification (RFID) system, use multiple transmitters and receivers to refine position information of items using RFID. Again redundancy is required and the patron is required to have a reader to rapidly locate the article.
A substantial saving to the library exists lowering order based inventory audit costs by increasing speed of audits without substantial resources expended on RFID systems. A substantial benefit to the library patron exists since the library articles will more frequently be in the proper location without the significant added costs of the numerous RFID communication equipment which could be used to obtain additional library articles.
Further article dimensions may be gathered as to attributes such as width and height to calculate the optimum placement to optimize the use of available shelving space that exist at any moment in time.
Such RFID inventory control systems as previously described possess significant added cost that detract from their overall utility within organizations that consume financial resources; a library typically does not charge for article loans. Thus there is a need for improved capability as to accurate placement method that overcome the aforementioned audit and maintenance disadvantages.
A further significant advantage is due to the lower cost of construction and maintenance by reducing the component count.
Various inventory control system configurations, and methods are referenced within and the entire teachings of which and their references sited therein are expressly incorporated by reference herein.